This is a grant application for an interdisciplinary seminar programmed under the U54 grant infrastructure, collaborative agreement between the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) and the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). Every year the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core (BBC) of this U-54 grant has organized a seminar. For the current year, the BBC is organizing a seminar entitled "Population-Based Studies in Hispanics: Methodological Issues in Cancer Research" and will be held on August 25 - 26, 2011 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aims of the seminar are: 1. Describe the most recent cancer investigations in Latin-American countries, Puerto Rico, Spain, Canada and United States of America using population-based studies in cancer-related research in Hispanic communities. 2. Discuss relevant methodological issues raised during the conduct of population-based studies of cancer among Hispanics. 3. Discuss the different approaches used in population-based studies in the Hispanic communities in measuring the health disparities in cancer research. The seminar is intended for epidemiologists, statisticians, clinicians and other scientists involved in the design and analysis of population-based studies in Hispanic populations. The specific methodological issues raised during the conduct of population-based studies that are under consideration include: epidemiological design, criteria for cancer diagnosis, inclusion/exclusion criteria, laboratory tests, study period, sample size and statistical power, subject selection, strategies for recruitment and retention of Hispanic participants, data collection procedures, response rates among Hispanics, potential biases, internal and external results validation, clinical impact and translational research, among others. In addition, methodological issues in measuring cultural and health disparities in cancer-related health and in detecting gene-gene interactions in cancer susceptibility will also be discussed. The proposed seminar is both innovative and significant for several reasons: Speakers from different countries (Latin-America, Puerto Rico, Spain, Canada and the US) will talk about their experiences in cancer-related research in Hispanic communities. It will enhance existing networks and partnerships as well as form new ones, both of which are required to understand cancer health disparities and develop strategies to overcome them in Hispanic communities. Due to the health disparities and the exploding growth of Hispanics in the US, there is a pressing need to address the challenges posed to improve the statistical information system for better decision-making process in the management of healthcare systems for Hispanic communities. The seminar will help to identify the gaps in available data and in active scientific research and prioritize those which should be addressed most urgently in the Hispanic communities. Puerto Ricans in the US represent a large and unique Hispanic population with European and African ancestry and distinctive cultural beliefs, practices and behaviors. Collaboration among researchers in the US and Latin-American countries offer an unprecedented opportunity to study the methodological issues in cancer epidemiology in Hispanics. The assessment of new approaches in Hispanics will contribute to better understand the effect of cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and control in this community. In addition, this seminar will assist in achieving the goals of the Healthy People 2010 National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention initiative. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The proposed seminar will provide a forum to reach the following aims: 1. Describe the most recent cancer investigations in Latin-American countries, Spain, Canada and United States of America using population-based studies in cancer-related research in Hispanic communities. 2. Discuss relevant methodological issues raised during the conduct of population-based studies of cancer among Hispanics. 3. Discuss the different approaches used in population-based studies in the Hispanic communities in measuring the health disparities in cancer research. The specific methodological issues raised during the conduct of population-based studies that are under consideration include: epidemiological design, criteria for cancer diagnosis, inclusion/exclusion criteria, laboratory tests, study period, sample size and statistical power, subject selection, strategies for recruitment and retention of Hispanic participants, data collection procedures, response rates among Hispanics, potential biases, internal and external results validation, clinical impact and translational research, among others. In addition, methodological issues in measuring cultural and health disparities in cancer-related health and in detecting gene-gene interactions in cancer susceptibility will also be discussed. Twelve speakers from Latin-American countries, Spain, Canada and United States of America, combined with four speakers from Puerto Rico, will talk about their cancer-related research experiences in Hispanic communities using population-based studies.